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Report: Rodgers Undecided But Trade Details Done

An NFL source at the Scouting Combine said the report that Rodgers is down to four teams is not true.
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Rodgers will be playing for the Green Bay Packers or an AFC team next season.

Overnight, Pro Football Talk reported Rodgers will play for the Packers, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers or Tennessee Titans. Everything is done beyond the actual decision. As Mike Florio wrote:

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Rodgers has specific deals lined up with other teams — and those teams have trade compensation lined up with the Packers. The potential moves have been arranged, essentially, with the permission of the Packers.

On Saturday morning, Adam Schefter of ESPN shot down that report.

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A league source, with the PFT report circling through Indianapolis at the Scouting Combine, echoed what Schefter said.

On Friday night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Rodgers is “truly torn” on where he wants to play next season. It was the first inkling that Rodgers was considering playing somewhere other than Green Bay. Prior to that, it seemed like Rodgers’ decisions were between playing and retiring.

“I talked at length at various times about being comfortable walking away and just not playing, and I don’t want to create more questions than I probably already have, but I don’t fear retirement, I don’t fear moving on,” Rodgers said at NFL Honors.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished, proud that I’ve accomplished it in Green Bay over the last 17 years and excited about the future, whatever that ends up being or looking like. Also still highly competitive and still [have] that bitter taste from the divisional game, so definitely a lot to weigh, but thankful for the Packers organization and the conversations that we had at the end of the season and just the way the whole season went.”

The interest in Denver is obvious. His beloved offensive coordinator from the past three seasons, Nathaniel Hackett, is the new coach. The Broncos wanted Rodgers last offseason and managed to win seven games with Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock as their primary quarterbacks.

“Legitimately, Aaron could be anywhere in the world right now,” Hackett, appearing on Good Morning Football while at the Scouting Combine, said when asked where he thinks Rodgers is in his decision-making process. “I just want the best for him, and the only person that knows what Aaron is going to do is Aaron. I’m just so happy for him and all the experiences that we’ve had these past three years. God, we had a lot of fun. We’ll see, it’s just good to be there for him if he needs anything.”

The interest in Pittsburgh is obvious, too. The Steelers reached the playoffs in 2021 with over-the-hill Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. Rodgers would be a huge upgrade.

“A lot of respect,” Rodgers said of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin before their Week 4 game. “I just enjoy the way he talks about his players. I’ve had some friends play over there and stories are very consistent with the kind of day-to-day coach that he is. I just like his demeanor. I think he fits that Iron City perfectly and a lot of respect.”

The interest in Tennessee is obvious, too. Rodgers reportedly purchased land in Williamson County, Tenn. The Titans were the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs in 2021, and Rodgers would be an upgrade over Ryan Tannehill. As would be the case in Denver, as well, there would be an easy transition schematically as the Packers, Broncos and Titans run similar offenses.

Financially, according to OverTheCap.com, the Broncos are $39.4 million under the salary cap and could easily make the move. The Steelers are $28.8 million under the cap. The Titans are $7.9 million over the cap. For them to make a deal, they might have to send Tannehill to Green Bay. His cap number for 2022 is a lofty $38.6 million with a $29 million guaranteed base salary.

Based on 2022 draft picks that could be acquired in a trade, Denver owns the ninth, 40th and 64th selections, Pittsburgh owns the 20th and 52nd selections, and Tennessee owns the 26th pick but does not have a choice in the second round.

Whatever the decision, the Packers need it soon. The deadline to use the franchise tag on receiver Davante Adams is Tuesday. The money saved with a contract extension or trade ($19.8 million) would be a key part of paying for the tag.

The legwork perhaps is done, though. If Rodgers has a contract in place with those other teams, chances are he has one done with the Packers, too.

“You can only control what you can control, so you just try to make the best of it and try to have consistent communication,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday at the Scouting Combine. “I told him, I don’t want to be overbearing and tell him every day how much we love him and how much we want him back. You just want to be respectful of his space and allow him to think through everything clearly without being annoying.”

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